The Enchanted Mirror
by Zarthor563
Summary: Sequel to What Dreams May Come: Alex steps through an enchanted mirror and into a universe where she and Justin can be together. But what starts as a dream come true soon turns into a nightmare, one she might not wake up from...
1. Chapter One

**Synopsis: Alex steps through an enchanted mirror and enters a universe where she and Justin can be together. But what starts out as a dream come true soon becomes a nightmare she might not wake up from...**

**Please review. I'm thinking of writing a series of stories with the main concept of What Dreams May Come as their premise. Sort of like my own WOWP universe. What do you think?**

* * *

It was a typical day at the Waverly Sub Station. Customers came in and ordered their sandwiches... and Alex sat at one of the tables while her family did all of the work. Jerry was away with his friend Ponyboy,over at Jones Beach with metal detectors,searching for cool stuff. That meant that everyone had to pull a double shift...and Alex was at a table, reading her art magazine while absently playing with the sugar dispenser.

Theresa was on shift, while Justin and Zeke were hosting a collection day for old electronics people didn't want anymore, or an "e-waste drive." No one had seen Max in about a month. Theresa didn't notice; Alex used the mind-erasing spell whenever she got suspicious and made up an excuse for his absence. Still smarting from his latest prank, Alex had turned him tiny, and he was now living in a mouse hole in her room, trying desperately to avoid the phantom cat she had conjured to keep him there.

"Thanks," Zeke told the boy who had just handed him an old motherboard, with most of its circuity still intact. "Your recycled electronics will help us defend ourselves when the robots takes over!"

The boy grabbed his motherboard and ran, presumably to stockpile his own electronic arsenal in preparation for the Robot Revolution.

Justin stared at his friend in exasperation. "You know, things would go a lot easier if you would stop bringing up the impending Robot Revolution to everyone!"

Alex shook her head as she tuned out of the rest of the conversation. She still had no idea how she could've fallen in love with such a dork.

As she looked back at them, she couldn't help but smile as they argued over what they would name their robot sidekick. Justin might be a dork, but he was _her_ dork.

Just then Harper came in, with a wad of cash in her hand.

"I did it Alex!" she said, smiling proudly. "I've finally done enough fund raisers to pay for my spot on the annual trip to Europe! And you laughed at my clown car wash!"

"It was a clown car wash," Alex told her. "I thought I was _supposed _to laugh." Harper thought about for a moment, then nodded, conceding the point.

Theresa came over and enveloped Harper in a bear-hug. "I'm so proud of you, mija!"

Harper blushed.

"You're going to have a lot of fun in Europe, Harper," Zeke said.

Justin came over to stand by Alex. "Getting to go to Europe is what separates those who work hard from those who hardly work!" he exclaimed.

As he said it, he subtly rubbed Alex's shoulder, letting her know he meant nothing by it.

Alex fought back another smile. She loved that Harper was living with them now, but the new addition to the household made it all the more difficult to keep their secret, and forced them back to their old routines. Imagine her surprise when Justin's barbs and insults actually started to _sting_.

While they still spent their nights together thanks to their mind link, there were times Alex wished they could be more, and she had come to really appreciate the little moments, like the one that had just passed.

She realized eventually that Harper was still talking, something about Paris and French fries.

She laughed at the appropriate moment, then showed Harper her crowning achievement, which she had kept hidden under a bedsheet.

"A vending machine!" Theresa asked, obviously outraged, though Alex didn't know why. She'd been thinking about her problem, which was how to get money for the trip, and came up with a solution that was both innovative and could eventually pay for itself. She'd done something smart. Wasn't that her parents wanted her to do?

"And just where did you get the money for this?" Theresa asked.

_Ah,_ Alex thought. _There lies the rub. There lies the rub? Where did that come from? I can't tell her where I got the money, but I don't want to lie either. What's a good euphemism? Euphemism? _

_I hate Justin._

"I took a start up grant from a local, family-owned business," she said.

"You took money from our cash register!"

Now she knew where Justin got his brains from, because, and she loves her dad when she thinks this, it certainly didn't come from Jerry.

"Well, if you want to use the ugly words, then yes."

"You are grounded, young lady!"

_Ah, more ugly words._

* * *

Alex was in the lair, bored out of her mind and looking for something to do.

Then she saw the mirror. There was a sign taped to it. She took the sign and looked at it.

It read, "For Friday's lesson." And right underneath that,, in all capital letters, it read, "DON'T TOUCH IT ALEX!"

But Alex has a short attention span. She no longer remembered where the sign had been, and therefore didn't know what she was supposed to stay away from.

She approached the mirror, thinking to herself that the vending machine had been a great idea, and wondering why no one agreed with her. So she took money from the cash register. With the money she earned from the machine, she could've paid that back.

"Oh well," Alex said to her mirror self,. "At least I know _you'll_ always agree with me." She placed her hand on the mirror's surface, only to find that it went _through_ the glass. She did it again, with the same result.

Weird...which, in Alex's mind translated to awesome. So she went through the mirror...to find herself in the lair again.

"What a gyp!" Alex exclaimed. Then she noticed that everything was opposite, on different sides of the room.

Huh.

Harper enters the lair, saying that Theresa wanted to see her.

"Does everything seem backwards to you?" Alex asked.

"Just your shirt," Harper said. Before Alex could comment, her best friend grabbed her by the hand and dragged her back to the sub-station, where her mother congratulated her on her vending machine idea, and Justin called her brilliant.

Wait. What?

After a mini-freakout after having everyone agree with her, Justin explained that after she stepped through the mirror, she'd entered a universe that was all about her. An "all about You-niverse," as he'd called it.

Alex let that sink in for a moment. Weighed it potential benefits against its potential cons. She couldn't think of any cons.

Suddenly a thought struck her, and she had to test it.

She walked right up to Justin and kissed him. When it ended, no one objected. Justin kissed her back.

A million thoughts were running through Alex's head. She'd lost count of the times she'd wish that she and Justin could be more, that their relationship could be more than just a dream, that it could be _real. _

And here, it could be.

What could go wrong?


	2. Chapter Two

**Please Review**

* * *

Max looked to his left. He looked to his right. The immediate vicinity looked clear of cockroaches, and Casper was on top of Alex's dresser drawer, busy licking himself. Tightening his grip on his toothpick, he ventured outside. He rarely left the safety of his mouse hole. The last time he tried to leave, Casper caught him and swallowed him up. He spent the rest of the day bumping into the confines of the phantom cat's stomach. Which he had to admit, was really, really, awesome. That is, until the gastric juices set in and he was almost digested. Still, it was an experience he'd try again, if he ever got bored enough.

At the moment, Max was scavenging for some food. Normally, he would just steal some of whatever was in Casper's bowl, and today was no different.

He was about to dig in when he felt something tug on his Maximan cape. He stared up to find Casper glaring down at him, his teeth barred, a guttural hiss emanating from deep within his chest. Max quickly tugged the cape from under the cat's foot, and ran.

Things would have gone differently if he'd had his wand, but it was nowhere to be found. The last time he remembered using it, he was trying to animate pieces of garbage so they could fight each other, and he would sit back with some salted popcorn, as they ignited a trash war. Then he spent the day magically binding robot pieces together for his prank on Zeke and Justin.

Then there was something about enchiladas….

Oh well. There was no use worrying about it now. Just as long as it didn't end up in the septic tank again.

Max dove for cover underneath the bed. Casper's ghostly paw swiftly followed, forcing Max deeper and deeper beneath the bed, until he hit a wall. Eventually, Casper gave up and went back to licking himself.

Max sighed, and caught his breath. Then he stiffened at the sight of the cockroach in front of him.

_Here we go again,_ he thought. Max held his toothpick in front of him like a lance...and charged.

* * *

Alex and Justin were strolling down the street, hand in hand. Alex was ecstatic. No more hiding their feelings, no more keeping their relationship a secret, relying on secret twilight rendezvous to spend time together as a couple. No one belittling them, accusing them or shaming them, no one trying to take them apart.

She'd wanted this for so long, to be able to just walk down the street with the man she loved. It was a dream come true.

As they came back to the Sub-station, Alex noticed a long line of people standing in front of a vending machine. _Her _vending machine. She couldn't help but smile.

* * *

Alex entered the lair, and found the mirror shattered. She wondered who could have broken it. She came in through the mirror. If it was broken, she might not be able to get out.

But was that so bad? Her family was in this universe too. And here, she could have Justin. That _definitely_ wasn't bad.

Alex sits down and decides to take a nap.

* * *

Princess Russo is enveloped in a monstrous bear hug.

"I…can't…breathe…" Sir Justin let her go and kissed her. Hard.

"Where have you been?" he asked frantically.

"What do you mean?" the Princess asked. I just spent the day with you."

"Alex, you've been _missing_ all day," Sir Justin said. "I've been really worried. Are you okay? Where are you? Are you hurt?"

But the princess didn't hear the knight's questions. As soon as he'd told her that she was missing, her world shattered. Because she realized that even though Mirror family _was_ her family, it wasn't _her_ family. And even though Mirror Justin _was_ Justin, he wasn't _her_ Justin.

_Her_ Justin was here, hugging her. He was on the other side of the mirror. _And she couldn't get back to him._


	3. Chapter Three

**Sorry it took so long. Please Review.**

* * *

Alex was in pain. How could she not be? She 'd just discovered that she was separated from the man of her dreams, with no way of getting back to him. And it was entirely her fault for stepping through the mirror in the first place.

Her mirror family was accommodating enough, but they weren't her _real_ family, and if her brother's reaction at seeing her the night before was any indication, her real family was worried sick about her.

Justin. He was a subject Alex had desperately been trying to avoid, but seemed to be the only thing her mind could think about. She still saw him through their mind link, whenever she fell asleep. But that was both gift and curse; it tortured her to know that he was so close, and yet so unreachable. And every moment spent with Mirror Justin was like a slap in the face, because it was the constant reminder that her Justin was gone, and she was stuck with his substitute, who was so subservient that it sickened her.

Alex had always made fun of those girls in those cheesy romantic movies, whose pain at losing their loved ones always managed to manifest itself physically, leaving them bereft and inconsolable. She'd laughed their pain. Now she found herself in their place.

She wanted to hate Justin for reducing her to a cliché, but she knew it wasn't his fault. There was no one to blame for her situation but herself.

She couldn't talk to anyone about what she was feeling, they would all just agree with whatever she had to say. Their words of comfort would not be genuine, because she would have to _tell_ them to say those words.

And Alex wasn't completely trusting of the Mirror Family, anyway. _Someone_ had broken the mirror, which meant that one of them wanted to keep her here. But who would want that?

At first, she'd thought it was Mirror Justin, but he had been with her all day. Mirror Max was tiny and trapped in her room, just like the real Max. Mirror Dad was on his road trip. Mirror Mom was picking on her guitar, and Harper had been in the Sub-station. There was no one missing, but one of them _had_ to have done it. There was no one else.

* * *

"What's wrong?" Sir Justin asked Princess Russo. "You've been really quiet all day."

The Princess sighed. "I'm just really depressed."

Sir Justin's brow furrowed. "Why?"

The Princess glared at him. "Really, Justin? I'm stuck in an alternate universe with no way to get home. Why _wouldn't_ I be depressed?"

Sir Justin looked stricken.

"But...you came back."


	4. Chapter Four

**Sorry it took so long. Kudos to Not Just A Nerd and BakuBabe, for guessing the plot. There will be gaps between my updates, I have two research papers and a speech due soon, but I have not forgotten this story. Please review.**

From the safety of his mouse hole, Max glared up at the intruder. There was something strange about her, but Max couldn't quite place what it was. The words on her shirt were backwards, but that could just be a trend she wanted to start. He would never understand fashion.

No, there was something else about her, something off.

There were times when the younger Russo resented the fact that he was constantly overshadowed by his older brother and sister. That the only time he could ever attract, or even _**hold**_ the attention of his family for any length of time was when he said or did something debasing.

But he grew used to it, grew accustomed to being the jester of the family, the one everyone thought was destined to fail. It would make it that much more satisfying when he succeeded. Besides, there was something to be said about not having to live up to someone else's expectations. It was _fun_, to be able to live by his own rules, even if they made no sense to anyone else.

Being invisible had its upsides. It allowed him to just sit back and observe; to watch his family as they lived their day to day lives. To watch his father, a child himself in many ways, struggle to raise three children. To watch his mother bury her hatred of magic for the sake of her husband and wizard children, cut off from her family, bearing everything with a smile. If he had half her strength, he'd be a better person. To watch his brother and sister war with each other, only to discover that the pranks and the taunts were a mask for sentiments they weren't supposed to feel.

If there was one person in the world who knew his family better than he knew himself, it was Max Russo. Which was why he knew, he _**knew**_ that the girl in his sister's room was not her. Whoever she was, no matter what she looked like, she was not Alex.

And Justin was hugging her.

Max sighed. His brother was one of the smartest people he knew, but sometimes he could be stupider than...well, _**himself.**_

He had to tell Justin. He took a deep breath, tightened his grip around the toothpick, and stepped outside.

* * *

Alex was crying; Justin held her in his arms. He was relieved. She' d been missing for an entire day. At first, he thought she'd just stormed off, angry at their mother. But then the hours lengthened. It had gotten dark, and she still hadn't come home.

Justin had been frantic. He went to the lair first, thinking she'd locked herself in there. He tested the entrance for any enchantments before entering. Alex tended to booby-trap it when she wanted to be alone. He remembered stepping through once and ending up in Siberia.

Alex wasn't there. He went to the tunnel where she painted. Alex wasn't there. No one had seen her there the entire day. He called Harper and together they searched every place they could think of with no luck.

Theresa had wanted to call the police, but Justin convinced her not to: if there was magic involved, the police wouldn't be any help. So instead Theresa called Jerry, who raced home. He used all his contacts in the wizarding world, called in every favor he was owed. Still nothing.

Justin went to bed that night in despair.

As per usual, the moment he closed his eyes and fell asleep, Justin was instantly transported to the dream world he and Alex shared. And who should he find there but Alex Russo herself?

He was ecstatic. He ran to her and enveloped her in a monstrous bear hug. He showered her with kisses. Alex was shocked to find out she'd been missing. The news had made her really quiet. She spoke softly, as though it hurt her to form words. He learned how she had gone through the enchanted mirror in the lair, and ended up in a parallel universe where everyone agreed with her. Justin had laughed, and asked her when she was coming back.

Alex had stiffened, and she seemed to pale. Then she disappeared. She'd decided to wake up, unable or unwilling to answer, leaving Justin all alone.

When he woke up the next day, Justin went straight back into the lair. She was there,curled on the floor, her arms around her knees, crying. The mirror lay next to her, shattered.

"Alex?" Justin asked, worried. She started at the sound of his voice. She looked up, saw him, and began to tremble.

He took a step towards her, trying to comfort her, and she crawled back, away from him. He took another step, she backed away again. Didn't Alex recognize him?

She did, he knew. That was why she was backing away. She was _**afraid.**_ Of _**him.**_

Why?

In one long stride, Justin reached her and bound her up in his arms. She struggled, elbowing him in the gut as she tried to break free.

Justin turned her around and kissed her, gently. He poured all his lover into the kiss, trying to show her that she didn't have to be afraid, even if she was now. She was home, and she was with him.

The kiss stilled her. At first, she did nothing. But then, ever so slowly, she responded. They broke apart, and Justin smiled at her, kissing her brow. He took her by the hand, and led her back to her room.

* * *

"Justin?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, Alex?"

"Why do you love me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I prank you, I make fun of you, I make your life hell," she said. "You should be getting back at me, _**torturing**_ me. Why do you love me?"

Inside, Justin was seething. What could have happened to her on the other side, what was so terrible that it had reduced her to this? Had made her unsure of him?

He took a deep breath. "You do prank me," he said after he'd calmed down. "I used to hate it, but now I just find it amusing."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Your pranks make my life interesting. As for your insults..." he kissed her again. "I know you don't mean them, just as you know I don't mean mine. They're just there to keep us safe. They don't matter."

"They don't matter!"

"You complicate my life, but you make it better, too. I put up with the parts I don't like, the pranks and things, because I love the rest."

Alex smiled, and Justin smiled back. That was when he noticed something tiny running around the floor.

He walked over to it. It was Max, flailing his arms like a madman, stabbing upwards with his toothpick, making chattering noises Justin assumed were words.

"You know, you really should forgive him," Justin told Alex. "It's been a month already, and there's only so many times you can use that mind-erase spell without causing permanent damage."

"Fine," Alex, said, still smiling. She picked Max up, setting him on the palm of her hand. They stare at one another for a moment, and her smile disappears.

"Ow!" Alex yelled. "He stabbed me with that stupid toothpick!" She dropped Max and he ran back to safety.

All the noise woke Casper, who immediately set himself to patrolling around the mouse hole.

* * *

Justin went to bed that night finally at ease.

"Are you okay?" Sir Justin asked Princess Russo. "You've been really quiet all day."

The princess sighed. "I'm just depressed."

Sir Justin's brow furrowed. "Why?"

The Princess glared at him. "Really, Justin? I'm stuck in an alternate universe with no way to get home. Why _wouldn't_ I be depressed?"

Sir Justin looked stricken. The color drained from his face. "But...you came back."


	5. Chapter Five

**A/N: Max actually was abducted, the reason being that I finally, _finally_ uploaded "Archangel," my WOWP/Supernatural cross-over, which is Max -centric. I decided that I wanted it to be cannon in my Wizards universe, and that's the way it played out. I'll bring him back eventually. Maybe.**

**Please Review.**

**

* * *

**Justin woke up groaning, with a massive headache. When had he fallen asleep? Why hadn't he been transported to the fantasy world? Had he slept dreamlessly? It was known to happen.

Well, not exactly _dreamlessly_. He did have a dream, a really weird one. He was looking for Alex _who wasn't really Alex!_and had gone to her room, which was where he found a full-size Max about to be kidnapped by a strange man in a beige trench-coat. He raised his wand, prepared to defend his baby brother...and that's it. That was where the dream ended.

Since Justin was Justin, he spent the next hour or so analyzing this dream, and came to the conclusion that he was feeling guilty about not spending enough time with him. So he resolved then and there to be a better brother to Max. Just as soon as he found Alex _who wasn't really Alex!_

* * *

Alex was angry. Here she was, stuck in a parallel universe with no way to get home, and there was _another_ Alex, interacting with _her_ family and _her_ Justin. It made her wish she paid more attention during their magic lessons, or Justin's random knowledge facts; she was sure that _somewhere_ in there, there had been a spell that could get her out of this mess.

But there was no time to feel sorry for herself. The most important thing now was to find out why sheAlexMirrorAlexwhatever wanted to leave this universe and not come back. If she found _that_ out, Alex was sure she'd find out why sheAlexMirrorAlexwhatever had shattered the mirror and left her stranded here, and hopefully, a way to get back.

And when Alex got back, and she _would_ get back, there would be hell to pay.

There was only one sure way for Alex to get the information she wanted. She'd ask Justin. Mirror Justin. Whatever.

He was in the lair, in his gym clothes, trying to come with exercises for his new "jazz-Pilates" class.

(She found out yesterday that the sandwich shop went bankrupt, due to her vending machine. Nothing seemed to be going her way lately.)

"Justin?" she asked sweetly.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering about something."

"Okay."

"And you'll be perfectly honest when I ask you this, right? I _know_ you hate lying to me."

"You're completely right, Alex, I _do _hate lying to you."

"Before I entered this 'All About You-niverse,' was there another Alex here?"

"Of course!" Mirror Justin said, smiling. "Before you came, this 'All About You-niverse' was just your normal, run of the mill alternate dimension."

"Riiigght. And is there any reason why she would want to leave here and never come back?"

Mirror Justin thought for a moment, then he answered, still smiling, "Probably because I tortured her."

That wasn't something she'd ever expected Justin to say. In _**any**_ dimension.

* * *

"Alex_who isn't really Alex!_?"

She bounded up to him, pecking his cheek lightly. "What's up?"

"Who are you? Really?"

Alex _who wasn't really Alex!_ frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The _real_ Alex and I share a mind link. I _know_ you're not her."

She began to cry, and Justin resisted the impulse to go and comfort her.

_She's not Alex. Not really._

"Be honest with me," Justin said firmly, yet gently. "Who are you?"

"I _am_ Alex Russo," she said through sniffles.

"I am!" she said again, as Justin was about to object. "I'm the Alex Russo from the other side of the mirror."

Justin digested that silently. _It's not that she __**isn't**__ Alex. She is. She's just a __**different **__one. _Then a thought occurred to him, and he had to ask.

"You knew, didn't you? You _knew_ you were leaving her stranded when you broke the mirror."

She nodded slowly.

"Why?"

She cringed at the change of tone in his voice.

"Why?"

"Because I had to get away from you!"

_That_ threw him. "What?"

"Well, not _you,_ exactly; I meant the _other_ you. He's not like you. He's not kind or caring or compassionate...

"He did terrible things to me."

Justin felt himself slowly begin to feel for her...for Alex. Wait, that would get confusing. For

Lexi. He remembered how she was when she got here, how she cowered at his approach.

"Why did I-" Justin caught himself. "Why did _he_ hurt you?"

Lexi sighed. "I can't speak for the other Alex, but I've always been in love with my brother. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't help what I was feeling. It's not like I _asked_ to fall for him."

Justin nodded. He'd been there before.

"I know my feelings would destroy my family. So I decided to hide them, bury them. I started to prank him. Constantly."

Justin gulped. He could see where this was going...

"I thought that if I could get him to hate me, it would make it easier...to forget...to not feel the way I did."

"He got revenge, didn't he?" Justin asked softly.

Lexi nodded. "In the worst ways possible. He keeps an alternate dimension in his closet...where he keeps his..." she couldn't continue.

She took a deep breath, and soldiered on. "He would keep me in there for months at a time, with no food and very little water. Sometimes, he used magic to cause me pain, or make me relive

my nightmares.

"Other times, he would use one of his blades to make me bleed. And others times...he would have his way with me."

Justin was hugging her then.

"I'm sorry that he hurt you," he whispered. "I am. But what you did was _wrong. _By leaving Alex there, you left her to suffer everything you have. You have to bring her back."

"I can't do that Justin," she replied. She wasn't crying anymore.

"Why not?"

"Because I love you. And now that I have you, I'm not letting you go."


	6. Chapter Six

**Please Review.**

* * *

Alex and Mirror Justin were in the lair.

"You...tortured her?" her voice cracked at the end.

Mirror Justin nodded.

"Why?"

Mirror Justin's face darkened. When he spoke, his voice was soft.

"I can't speak for the...other...Justin, but I have always loved my sister...in a way a brother shouldn't."

That wasn't an answer Alex had expected. You don't _do_ the things he'd done to the people you love.

He continued to speak.

"I knew that it was wrong,these feelings, that as badly as I wanted to, I shouldn't,I _couldn't_ act on them."

Alex said nothing, though his words had hit a little close to home. Hadn't _her_ Justin been reluctant in the beginning as well?

_But he never hurt you._

"So I threw myself into my studies. I made myself a model student, almost to the point of obsession. Every moment I spent on trigonometric equations or the latest breakthrough in quark theory or studying magic...was a moment I didn't have to think of her. It hurt less that way."

Again, Alex said nothing. Her last conversation with Justin, _her_ Justin, had been brief, as both were dealing with their own issues at present. She needed to figure out a way to get home, and he had his hands full with Mirror Alex.

Most of his explanation had been too technical for her; Dork was not her first language, despite her constant exposure to it.

But basically, it had been along the lines of "she might be a different you, but the most important parts of her are still _**you**_."

By that logic, even though Mirror Justin was a different Justin, at his core, he was still _**her**_ Justin. And if _that _was true, then isn't everything Mirror Justin felt...everything _her_ Justin felt?

_Justin loves you. He would __**never**__ hurt you._

"It wasn't the most...elegant... of solutions, but it worked, more or less.

"Then the pranks started." Mirror Justin's voice became hard. "She insulted me constantly: the way I dressed, my interest in comics, snide remarks about my prowess in school.

"I didn't mind it at first. I just took it to be sibling rivalry...and it made things easier, all things considered. But it still hurt me...more than it should have.

"Her pranks increased in intensity. She kidnapped my action figures, stole my wallet, hid my homework."

_Everything I do to my Justin..._

"They seem harmless to you," Mirror Justin said, noticing her expression, though perhaps misreading the emotion behind it. "But to me...she took everything. Every distraction I had, everything that kept me from acting on feelings that could destroy my family, everything that kept me _sane_, and destroyed it."

"You still haven't answered my question." She had meant to firm, confident, and in control. But instead, her voice came out as a whisper.

"I'd had enough," was his reply. " I'd always threatened to get her back for everything she'd done...and held back."

His face turned hard again. "But I don't care anymore."

How many times had Justin threatened to get her back for something she'd done? Alex had lost count. He never made good on those threats. She would look back at those times and smile, because she knew he didn't have it in him to hurt her.

But now...she wasn't so sure.

* * *

Living with Lexi was...strange, to say the least. She was way too, well..._nice_. No pranks, no death threats, no arguments ending in bodily injury. Things were peaceful.

It freaked Justin out.

It surprised him, the knowledge that he actually _missed_ his sister's pranks. Lexi was always _way_ too happy to see him, practically beaming time he mentioned her by name, thinking it a term of endearment. When really, "Lexi" was just a way to distinguish between her and _his_ Alex in his mind; no more, no less.

But he never had the heart to tell her that. He wanted her to experience happiness while she was here, before he sent her back.

And he _**would**_ send her back. He and Harper were spending endless hours in the lair, flipping through books, searching for a spell, _anything_ that might work.

Justin was going to get his Alex back, and that's all there was to it.

* * *

"What's wrong?" Sir Justin asked the princess.

She replied with, "If I ask you something, will you be honest with me?"

"Always."

"Whenever I prank you, you always have a lame comeback, promising revenge, blah blah blah."

"Yes...and?"

"Why don't you ever do it?" "Why don't you ever get back at me?"

"I put a truth spell on you once."

Princess Russo roles her eyes. "I mean _really_ get back at me, the way Mirror Justin did to Mirror Alex. You must have thought about it."

"Honestly? I never thought about it."

The Princess raised an eyebrow. "Never?"

"Never. Yes, you annoy the hell out of me. Yes, there are times when I think you've gone too far. But do you know what I've thought the entire time you've been gone? What I wish the other you would do?"

"What?"

"I sit there thinking,'I wish she would prank me.' Which I know she won't, because she's afraid I'll turn into her Justin if she does."

"But why would you _want_ to be pranked?"

"I don't, dear one," Sir Justin said, smiling at her.

"Then _why_-"

"Because it's something _you_ would do," he replied. "It's your trademark, part of who you are. They're like breathing for you. While I've enjoyed this...vacation of sorts from your antics, all it does is remind me that she's not you.

"You're wired to make life...entertaining, and I would never do anything to change you, or hurt you. Because at the end of the day, those same pranks that annoy the hell out of me also make me smile, 'cause they've made you smile."

"But-"

"Mirror Justin is a bastard," Sir Justin said vehemently. "He _says_ he loves his Alex, but love is in actions, not words. You don't _**do**_ those things to someone you love, no matter how much they've hurt you."

The Princess smiled, snuggling deeper into her knight's embrace, reassured.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

As he held his princess in his arms, all the knight could think about was how desperately he wanted her back, how he _needed_ her back. But another thought popping into his mind.

He would stop at nothing to get Alex back, and hold her for real. But could he really send Lexi back into the arms of a sadist?


	7. Chapter Seven

**Please Review**

* * *

Justin, Harper, and Theresa were all in the lair, scanning through books, trying to find a spell that would either bring Alex back or fix the mirror. After much heated discussion, Justin listened to Harper and told his mother the truth, that the Alex that had come through the mirror a few days ago was actually a different Alex.

Theresa then spent the next hour and a half cursing magic, switching to Spanish when she'd run out of words. She took it pretty well, all things considered.

"We have to find a way to get Alex out this broken mirror," she now said.

Harper closed the book she'd been perusing, with a dejected expression on her face. "We're never going to figure this out."

"I figured it out!" Justin exclaimed, raising his hand in victory.

"Well, _somebody's_ a Know-it- all," Harper muttered as she went to join him and Theresa.

Justin ignored her. He was ecstatic. He could finally, _finally_ get his Alex back. He began to read from the book.

"In order to fix the broken mirror, take the broken pieces and tape them back together." he thought about that for a moment. "Wait. What?"

"So you fix a magic mirror the same way you fix a regular one," Theresa said, her face pensive. "Magic is lame."

Justin ignored her too.

_Could it really be that simple? Alex could home today! But…what do I do with Lexi?_

* * *

On the other side of existence, Alex was already coming up with a solution to her befuddled brother's problem. Well, part of it, anyway. She knew form their last conversation he was worried about sending Mirror Alex back to Mirror Justin. The whole reason Mirror Alex left this universe was so she could get away from evil, sadistic Mirror Justin right? So all Alex had to do was get rid of the "evil, sadistic" part and everything would be better. Lexi could come home without worry.

While looking for Mirror Justin, Alex ran into Mirror Zeke, who had gained a good twenty pounds or so by stuffing himself with snacks from the vending machine. Sighing, she threw his batter-dipped pork rinds in the garbage and ordered him never to eat them again.

She found Mirror Justin in the lair, reading. He smiled when he saw her.

Alex wasted no time. She knew he had to agree with everything she said, so she just issued her orders.

"Your sister is coming back. When she gets here, you will apologize for everything you've done, and you will tell her how you really feel about her."

Mirror Justin stared at her for a second or two, then nodded. "Of course, you're absolutely right, Alex."

Now the grand finale, the thing that would make sure he would never hurt Mirror Alex again. Alex raised her wand and recited the spell she'd made up last night.

"_Besotted brother, filled with hate for one who loved you true; Love her now as she loves you."_

Mirror Justin was bathed in a bluish light, the spell working its magic. When it ended, he was asleep in his chair.

_One down, one to go,_ Alex thought as the mirror solidified and she stepped through.

_Justin and I will get through this, through to her as we've done everything else._

_Together._


	8. Chapter Eight

**What Dreams May Come trailer is up on youtube, the link is on my profile.**

**Please review.**

**Also, this is the final chapter. I have an idea for a sequel, which I will post when I've finished Archangel.**

* * *

Alex stepped through the mirror and found herself enveloped in a monstrous bear hug.

"Dad!" she managed to choke out. "Can't breathe!"

"Sorry, sweetheart," Jerry said. "I'm just glad you're back."

Harper hugged her next, then Justin. And if their hug lasted just a little longer than was normal, and they gripped each other tighter than was strictly necessary, no one noticed.

Theresa hugged her daughter last, then grabbed her arm as she made to leave.

"Hold on a second," she told Alex. "You're not going anywhere just yet, least of all Europe."

It took Alex a while before she understood what her mother was talking about; she hadn't thought about the class trip in what seemed like ages.

"You're still grounded for getting that vending machine, and you're _extra_ grounded for sneaking out when you knew you were grounded, **and** you're extra-_BONUS_ grounded for sneaking out to an alternate magical universe!"

Alex resisted the urge to point out that since the mirror was in the lair, she _technically_ had never left the house.

She also resisted the urge to yell, "Really? I just spent the last week _trapped_ in an alternate reality, not knowing if I could ever make it back _home_, and you're still mad about the vending machine?"

It was hard, but she managed.

Instead, she said, ""Okay."

"What?" Theresa was taken aback. Was her daughter actually agreeing? With _her?_

"You're right," Alex said. And as she thought more about it, Alex realized she actually thought that. The problem wasn't actually the vending machine, it was the fact that she'd gone behind her mother's back to get it, that she wanted everything to be done her way. She knew now, from her experiences on the other side of the mirror, that her way wasn't always the best way.

"What happened to you in there?"

"That's not important," Alex said, not wanting to go into too much detail. "What's important is that I realized that while I may not always know what's right for me, I'm lucky to be surrounded by people who do."

She hugged her mother again, and left the lair.

Realizing where she was going, Justin needed a way to leave, too.

"Everyone check their wallets and purses!" he yelled suddenly, making a show of checking his wallet, storming out of the lair and yelling, "ALEX!"

* * *

He met her outside the door to her room, where they hugged again.

"I meant it, you know," she said. "What I said." she looked at him. "And I wasn't just talking about our parents."

Justin smiled and kissed her forehead. "Come on," he said, and opened the door.

Lexi jumped at the sight of the two of them.

"J-Justin?" she asked uncertainly.

"It's time for you to go home, Lexi," he replied. Alex raised an eyebrow at the familiarity in his tone, but said nothing.

"I can't go back!" Lexi raised her wand. "I _won't!"_

Suddenly, Lexi was thrown backward, onto the bed. Alex, her own wand drawn, approached her twin and pinned her down.

"Never, _never,_ threaten Justin again." she said. "Trust me when I say that your Justin is nothing compared to _me_."

Lexi gulped.

"You shattered the mirror. You took my home away from me. You took the man I love away from me. If I knew nothing else about you, I'd still have enough to want to make your life a living hell.

"But you love your brother," Alex continued, her voice grower softer. "The way I love mine. Only your brother hurt you, in horrible ways. He did unforgivable things to you. I'm lucky enough to never be able to empathize with you; I will never know how it feels to be treated that way by the person I love. I will never know the torture of loving someone I'm not supposed to. That right was reserved for Captain Logic over there." Alex pointed over to Justin.

Lexi smiled.

"But that doesn't make what you did right," Alex said. "You took…" she stopped. Justin raised an eyebrow.

"You took…" Justin would never let her live this down, but her twin needed to hear it.

"You took the best thing in my life and hoarded it for yourself."

There was a crash behind her, Justin had collapsed, but he recovered quickly.

"I know it was wrong," Lexi said. "But your Justin is so different from mine, He's kind, compassionate…I just wanted to feel loved."

"I spoke to your brother."

Lexi paled.

"He loves you. He never knew you felt the same way. He thought your pranks meant you hated him."

Lexi tried to speak, but Alex silenced her with a look.

"It will never justify what he's done, but at least now you know why, and I've made sure he can never do that to you again."

"Really?"

Alex nodded.

"Why?"

"Because even though I don't condone what you did, I can understand why.

"Your brother's not a monster anymore: all that's left is the part that loves you. Go home."

Alex released her twin, and they embraced. Then Lexi left.

Justin put his arm around his sister. She smacked him.

"What was that for?"

"Lexi?" she asked.

Justin rolled his eyes. "I had to differentiate between you _somehow_."

Justin rubbed his cheek. "That really hurt. Is that anyway to treat the best thing in your life?"

Alex kissed his cheek and ushered him out of her room, smiling.

Justin was smiling too, until he realized his skin had turned green and his arm was producing mushrooms.

"ALEX!"


End file.
